Machine for washing ores



R. EDWARDS. Ore Washer.

No. 10,282. Patented Nov. 29, 1853.

I I M AM. PHOTO-LITHO.CO.N.Y. (OSBORNE'S PROCESS) suitable agent.

UNITED STATES PATENT"OFFICE.

RICHARD EDWARDS, OF EAGLE RIVER, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR WASHING .ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 10,282,-dated November 29, 1853.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD EDWARDS, of Eagle River, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for \Vashing Ores; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, is a vertical section through the center of an ore-washing machine, constructed according to my improvements. Fig. 2, is a'horizontal section of the same, in the plane indicated by the line, :0, y, in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a side view of the wheels, by which motion is given to the basin. Fig. 4, is a top view of the revolving'hopper.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, in each of the several figures.

This invention is applicable, more particularly, to the washing of copper ore upon a large scale, but may also be employed in any ore washing operations. The invention consists in the employment of a rotating hopper and a suspended oscillating. basin, arranged and operated as will be hereinafter described.

To enable those skilled in the art to make.

and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The machine is all supported by a frame, which consists of upright posts, A, A, and suitable cross-timbers, B, B, and is provided with a table, C, about half way up, which forms a bed for the horizontal circular track, a, g. It is also furnished with suitable bearings for a vertical shaft, D, which is the main or driving shaft of the machine and receives rotary motion through any This shaft is concentric to the track, a, a, and has firmly secured to it a boss, E, to which are attached two arms, F F of which, the former is placed in a horizontal position below the latter, and forms the axle of a wheel, G, which rests upon the track, a, a, and runs around it,

i when rotary motion is given to the shaft.

The upper arm, F is inclined so as to stand at about the desired inclination of the pan,

and forms the axle of a wheel, G upon which the under side of the ring or circular frame, I, from which the pan, J, is suspended, rests. The outer ends of the two axles are connected by a link, I), which serves to stiffen them and preserve their proper relative positions, which should be as close to each other as possible without touching. The ring, I, is of nearly the same diameter as the track, a, a, and is faced on its under side, where it rests on the wheel, G1; it is furnished with arms, 0, c, and a hub. d, like a a wheel, and the latter is bored conically,

to allow it to move freely, as required, upon the shaft, D, and is faced to rest on the top of the boss, E, the height of which, relatively to the top of the wheel, G must be such as to give the ring the properinclination. On the outside of the ring, I, there are four lugs, e, 6; (but this number is not arbitrary,) and the pan, J, is furnished.

and has the opening, h, for the withdrawal.

of the washed 'ore, at its apex. This opening is furnished with a slidinggate, 2'. The revolution of the shaft D, causes the wheel G, to run continuously around the track, a, a; and the wheel, G, running under the ring, I, elevates all parts of its circumference, in regular succession; and by this.

means, every portion of the circumference of the basin is the'highest in its turn. The motion thus produced, is a 'movementaround an imaginary fixed vertical axis in line with the shaft, D, and is well calculated to perform the washing operation effectively.

The hopper, L, through which theore is introduced to the basin, is of the form of an inverted frustum of a cone, and is furnished on one side, close to the bottom, with a spout, is. It is secured to the lower end of the shaft, D, and consequently stands nearly over the center of the pan. I consider the best position for the spout to be opposite the highest side of the pan; as the ore, when delivered on that side, will receive a greater amount of agitation. It may, however, be desirable to place it slightly in advance, or in the rear, of this position; but its position may be varied.) In whatever position it. is placed relatively to the pan, it will remain; as it makes one reving-t-he foreign matter, which, by reason of its less specific gravity, is Washed away by 15- the overflow over the lowest part of the edge of the pan.

What I claim as my invention, and de sire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

The rotating hopper and the suspended 20 oscillating basin, arranged and operated as herein described.

a R. EDWVARDS. Witnesses:

' O. D. MUNN, L. F. COHEN; 

